The master of spook, Wednesday 13, bites back on Necrophaze
A quarter-century of spooktacular shenanigans have seen Wednesday 13 carve out his own niche in the rock world, albeit one that’s so cosy it’s more Hotel Transylvania than The Last House On The Left.
This eighth solo album is another collection of horror-fuelled anthems from the graveyard. Spiritual gothfather Alice Cooper emerges to provide spoken-word contributions, while elsewhere Wednesday’s contacts list elicits guest spots from the likes of Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia and Alexi Laiho from Children Of Bodom.
Actual scares may be thin on the ground, but Decompose, The Hearse and the catchy title-track are a scream. Scary movie synths frequently make insidious appearances, adding flavour to a witches’ brew of horror-punk, industrial and ‘80s metal.
A perfunctory run-through of W.A.S.P.’s charming Animal (Fuck Like A Beast) is perhaps unnecessary, but otherwise Necrophaze plays effortlessly to Wednesday’s ghoulish strengths.
Verdict: 3/5
